Device for moistening and wringing compresses



C. C. HUMPHRIES.

DEVICE FOR MOSTENING AND WRINGING COMPRESSES. APPLICATION FILED MAH. s. 192|.

Patented Nov. 15, 19211.

CLINTON CLARENCE HUMPHRIES, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA. y

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

Application led March 8, 192,1. Serial No. 450,608.

To @ZZ/whomz't may concern:

Be it known that I, CLINTON C. HUM- ri-nnus, a citizenof the United States, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented "certain new and useful lmprovements in Devices for Moistening and Nringing Compresses, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to devices for moistening and wringing compresses.

rlhere has long been a need for a device which will moisten and wring compresses, particularly hot compresses, such as are used in hospitals and by barbers and others.

The invention provides a combined moistening and wringing device which meets sanitary requirements and which avoids manual wringing and undue handling of the compress by the operator. In its broadest aspect the device comprises some form of wringer and some form of moistening devise so correlated that they may be caused to act successively upon the compress without manual contact with the compress. prefer an arrangement in which the heated liquid. usually water, acts also upon the wringing device to heat the latter to, or approximately7 to, the temperature otthe heated compress so that the wringer does not abstract heat from the latter during the wringing operation.

`Various speciiically diilerent wringing devices may be used but 1 prefer a wringer ol the press type in which the heated liquid is projected upon the compress while the latter is in the press prior'to the pressing or wringing operation.4 A. convenient way of securing this result is to provide one press head with a water spraying or distributing device, and theA other press head with a drain connection. I illustrate this embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawing in which,`

Figure 1 is a vertical section'oi1 the complete device, viewed from the front.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the lower press head, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the-upper press head.

In the drawing. 11 presents a hollow pedestal upon which is mounted a frame or yoke 12 whose general form is clearly shown in the drawing. Mounted on the yoke 12 isy a recessed casting 13 formed with a peripheral ilange 14: and the internal bracing or staying webs 15. A perforated plate 16 is mounted on the lower face of the recessed casting 13 with its periphery secured in any suitable manner to the flanges 14:. rlhe webs 15 offer support to the central portions or' the plate 16 to assist it in withstanding the stress exerted upon it by the pressing operations.

rlhe plate 16 maybe made of any suitable oraminous material but l believe that a perforated plate is preferable to other materials, such7 for example, as a heavy woven wire screen which obviously may be made to serve a similar purpose.

Casting 13 is mounted on the yoke 12 by brackets 17 which are offset as shown for a purpose which l shall describe hereafter.

rlhe lower press-head comprises a recessed casting 18 which is guided in a vertical direction partly by lugs 19 which embrace the vertical portions of the yoke 12, and partly by a drain tube 2O which `slides within a drain pipe 21 lined in the middle portion of the yoke 12 and extending down within the pedestal 11. Drain pipe 21 is provided with a trap 22 housed within the pedestal 11 and connected to any suitable water discharge pipe (not shown).

The recessed casting 18 is termed with a plurality of transverse bearer. bars 23 upon which rests a removable perforated plate 24. Any suitable ioraniinous material might be substituted tor the perforated plate illustrated. l prefer to make the element 241 removable to permit cleaning of the interior ot the recessed casting 18. 4Casting 18 is provided with an upward extending flaring ilange 25 which projects abovey theplate 24' and serves to catch all the liquid used in the device and insure its discharge through the plate 24C to the drain pipe 20. The oil'sets in the bracket 17 are to give clearance to this flange 25.

Pivotally connected at 26 to the casting 18 are two strut links 27 whose lower ends are pivoted at 28 to parallel arms 29, fixed to a rock shaft 30 which turns in bearings 31 in the pedestal 11. A foot lever or treadle is rigidly connected to the shaft 30 and the parts are so arranged that depression of the Jfoot lever 32 serves to elevate the casting 18. Ity will be observed that at the upward limit of motion of the foot lever 32 the arms 29' and the thrust links 27 approach alinement so that the casting 18Y is lifted with considerablev force. A water connection 33 controlled by a faucet 34 leads to the interior Y for lexample, a

i -folded towel, is laid upon the plate 24. TheV treadle 32 is then depressed to bring the compress nearly or quite into contact with the plate 16. The faucet 34 is then turned on admitting water above the plate 16. This Y water flows downward throughthe perforations of the p latethoroughly saturating the compress and incidentally heats platesv 16 and 24 to approximately the same tempera-V ture as the compress. When this saturating and heating operation is completedthe Jfaucent 34 is turned ofi' and casting 13 is allowed to drain. Further depression of the treadle 32 then subjects the compress to sutiicient pressure to lexpel the surplus water.

Treadle 32 is then allowed to rise and the resulting descent of 'casting 18 and plate V24 give access to the compress which is removed from the press in condition for use...

It is desirable that the compress be somewhat smaller than thesuperficial area of the plate 24, and this plate and the plate 16 are both provided with perforations extending close to theiriedges. These details are important as they insure that all the expressed water will have a `free path to-drain away. Otherwise there would be atendency for the expressed water `to rise through the aper- .tures in plate 16 and flow back into Athe ccmpress as Vsoon as pressure was relieved. l,While I prefer the ,structure described as a simple and satisfactory,embodiment ofthe invention I am aware that other wringing' devices might be used to produce a similar result and that theV partsmay be arranged in specifically different ways to meet dilerent conditions. I contemplate such variations of the structure and do notY limit myself to Ythe specific Vstructure illustrated and described except to the extent specified in the claims.. VWhat is claimed is l. A device for preparing hot compresses, comprising in combination, a wringing device; means for delivering heated liquid thereto and to a compress held thereby; and means for operating said wringing device to expel a portion of said liquid from said compress. Y Y Y Y 2. Adevice for preparing'hot compresses,

'comprising in combination, a liquid express- `ing press adapted to receive and "supportY a compress; means for delivering a heated liquid to the press `and to the compress1 Y whereby both are heated; and means for operating said liquid delivering means and said press. I

3. The combination of a water spraying device; a water expressing device; and means for causing each of said devices to act on a compress without intervening inanipulation of the compress.

4. The combination of a water spraying device; a water expressingV device; a drain structure serving to receive water flowing from both devices; and means for causing each ofrsaid devices to act on a compress without intervening Vmanipulation of the compress. 'f I y 5. The combination of a water spraying device; a support serving to position acompress in the path of water discharged by said sprayingldevicegpand means operable to eX-` press water from said compress while the receive a compress; a spraying device opera.-

ble to wet a compress while in said press;

means for operating said press; and means for conducting away the off-flowingwater.

8.y A device for preparing wet compresses,

comprising incombination two opposed press- Y ing' heads; a liquid-'delivering means associated with one head; a liquid-draining means lassociated Vwith the other head; andV means for operating said pressing heads.

In testimony whereof. Ihave signed myV name to this specification.

CLINTON CLARENCE HUMPHRIES. 

